Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Meeting today at 11
am for about half hour, Pope Francis and Israeli President Shimon Peres
exchanged prayers and expressed hope for a solution to the Mideast situation.

The
Israeli leader also invited the Holy Father to Jerusalem.

Speaking to the pontiff, Shimon Peres said, "I would
pray for you" in Assisi where he travels tomorrow. Earlier, he had asked Francis
"to pray for all of us".Peres later met with the Vatican Secretary of
State Card Tarcisio Bertone, and Secretary for Relations with States Mgr
Dominique Mamberti.At the end of the meeting, described as
"friendly", the Vatican Press Office issued a press release in which it
listed the problems addressed, which the parties hope to see solved."A speedy resumption of
negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians is hoped for," the statement
said, "so that, with the courageous decisions and availability of both sides as
well as support from the international community, an agreement may be reached that
respects the legitimate aspirations of the two Peoples, thus decisively
contributing to the peace and stability of the region."Growing Israeli settlements in Palestinian
territories have interrupted talks between Israel and Palestine, reducing
the chances of a solution based on the principle of "two peoples, two
states."The press release went on to say that "Particular worry for the conflict that plagues Syria was expressed,
for which a political solution is hoped for that privileges the logic of
reconciliation and dialogue."In fact, a political solution is ever more
urgent at a time when some Israeli military leaders and segments of the country's
public are pushing for an Israeli military action against Damascus.Together with United Nations, the Holy See continues
instead to call on the international community to promote internal dialogue in
Syria.The Vatican statement ended saying, "A number of issues
concerning relations between the State of Israel and the Holy See and between
state authorities and the local Catholic communities were also addressed. In
conclusion, the significant progress made by the Bilateral Working Commission,
which is preparing an agreement regarding issues of common interest, was
appreciated and its rapid conclusion is foreseen."However, a few days ago, the Latin Patriarchate
of Jerusalem called for a stop to the construction of the separation wall in
Beit Jala, in the Cremisan Valley, which threatens
to undermine the educational work provided by the Salesian Order to Palestinian
children, one example among dozens of the way the wall devastates the
lives, work and health of the Palestinian population.At last, the two sides hope to see their 1994 Fundamental
Accord finally implemented. Over the years, Vatican and Israeli representatives
on the joint commission engaged in cordial talks, made progress, and remain
hopeful in a rapid conclusion that has not yet come.

A worldly Church is a weak Church. The only way to stop this from
happening is to entrust the Church to the Lord through constant prayer.
This was the message at the heart of Pope Francis’ homily during Mass
Tuesday morning, celebrated with staff from the Administration of the
Patrimony of the Apostolic See, also known as APSA.

"We
can safeguard the Church, we can cure the Church, no? We do so with our
work, but what’s most important is what the Lord does : He is the only
One who can look into the face of evil and overcome it. The prince of
the world comes but can do nothing against me: if we don’t want the
prince of this world to take the Church into his hands, we must entrust
it to the One who can defeat the prince of this world. Here the question
arises: do we pray for the Church, for the entire Church? For our
brothers and sisters whom we do not know, everywhere in the world? It is
the Lord's Church and in our prayer we say to the Lord: Lord, look at
your Church ... It' s yours. Your Church is [made up of ] our brothers
and sisters. This is a prayer that must come from our heart".Then,
Pope Francis remarked that "it is easy to pray for the grace of the
Lord", "to thank Him" or when "we need something." But it is fundamental
that we also pray to the Lord for all, for those who have "received the
same Baptism," saying "they are Yours, they are ours, watch over them"."Entrust
the Church to the Lord is a prayer that makes the Church grow. It is
also an act of faith. We can do nothing, we are poor servants - all of
us - of the Church: it is He who keeps her going and holds her and makes
her grow , makes her holy, defends and protects her from the prince of
this world and what he wants the Church to become, in short more and
more worldly. This is the greatest danger! When the Church becomes
worldly, when she has the spirit of the world within herself, when that
peace which is not that of the Lord - that peace when Jesus says, 'I
leave you peace, my peace I give you', not as the world gives it - when
she has that worldly peace, the Church is a weak Church, a defeated
Church, unable to transmit the Gospel, the message of the Cross, the
scandal of the Cross ... She cannot transmit this if she is worldly”.During
his homily, Pope Francis returned several times to the importance of
prayer to entrust "the Church to the Lord", the path to "the peace that
only He can give":"Entrust the Church to God, entrust the
elderly, the sick, the children, the youth ... 'Safeguard your Church
Lord ': she is yours! With this attitude, He will give us, in the midst
of tribulations, the peace that only He can give . This peace which the
world cannot give, that peace that cannot be bought, that peace which is
a true gift of the presence of Jesus in the midst of his Church.
Entrusting the Church that is in distress: there are great tribulations,
persecution ... there are. But there are also small tribulations: the
small tribulations of illness or family problems ... entrust all this to
the Lord guard your Church in tribulation, so she does not lose faith,
so she does not lose hope. " Pope Francis concluded : "May the
Lord make us strong so we do not lose faith, so we do not lose hope”.
Entrusting the Church to the Lord “will do us and the Church good. It
will give us great peace [and although] it will not rid us of our
tribulations, it will make us stronger in our sufferings”.

Below
is Vatican Radio’s English translation of the note issued by the
Vatican Secretary of State on the death of Bishop Aloysius Jin Luxian of
the Diocese of Shanghai

On Saturday, April 27, His
Excellency Mons. Aloysius Jin Luxian S.I., Coadjutor bishop of Shanghai
(continental China), passed away at the age of 96.The Prelate
was born on June 20, 1916 in the Nanshi district in the city of
Shanghai. In September 1926 he began his primary school studies at Saint
Ignatius College; then, in 1932, he entered Sacred Heart of Jesus
seminary, and later attended the Sacred Heart of Mary major seminary.
Attracted to the spirituality and life of the Society of Jesus, in 1938
he began his novitiate, and on September 8, 1940 he made his first vows.
Having concluded his studies in philosophy and theology at Xianxian
(Hebei), he was ordained to the priesthood on May 19, 1945 in the
cathedral of Shanghai.Between 1947 and 1948 he completed his
religious formation in Paris. Then, from 1948 to 1950, he attended the
Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome where he received a degree
Theology. He spent his summer vacations in Germany, France, and England
in order to learn the respective languages. With the advent of
the People’s Republic of China, he was called to return to his native
country in 1950 and, following the political events at that time and the
expulsion of foreign Jesuits, he was nominated the temporary rector of
the regional seminary of Xuhui (Shanghai) in 1951.Fr Jin Luxian
was arrested the night of September 8, 1955 and was subject to a long
interrogation, ending with a trial in 1960: he was sentenced to 18 years
in prison, plus 9 years for rehabilitation. From 1963 to 1967 he was
then detained at Qincheng (Pechino) prison where, by reason of his
considerable knowledge of foreign languages, was made part of a group of
inmate translators who worked for the State. In 1967 he was transferred
to the rehabilitation centre in Fushun and in 1973 to another in
Qincheng where he remained until 1975. He was then sent to a labour camp
in Henan, and imprisoned again from 1979 to 1982: he was released after
27 years in prison.In 1982 he received permission to reopen the
seminary in Sheshan. In 1985 Fr Jin Luxian agreed to be consecrated
bishop for the Diocese of Shanghai, but without papal approval. He
obtained approval some 15 years later, becoming the coadjutor bishop of
Shanghai, after having shown his fidelity to the pope and asking pardon
for his illegitimate ordination.The prelate was a key
personality in the history of the Catholic Church in China over the last
50 years. He was a man of great culture. His preparation, his studies
in Italy, his proficiency in various European languages and his human
compassion allowed him to keep in contact with various personalities and
enjoy the respect of many.Under the leadership of Bishop
Aloysius Jin Luxian, the diocese of Shanghai developed a great deal. He
had a powerful pastoral commitment, modernizing the dioceses in many
ways and trying to ensure they remained under the leadership of the
pastors, using also to this end the respect which the civil authorities
had for him. He was particularly attentive to the preparation of new
priests and religions, launching proper formation facilities, such as
the Major Seminary, opened in 1985 in Sheshan (Shanghai), and giving
back, at the same time, a greatly appreciated service not only to his
dioceses, but also to China.One of his final acts as bishop Jin
wrote the pastoral letter on the occasion of the Chinese new year of the
Dragon (January 23, 2012) with the title “Xu Guangqi: A Man for All
Seasons.” In it the Prelate invited the faithful to follow the
example of Paul Xu Guangqi, the first high-ranking Catholic in the
empire, friend of Fr. Matteo Ricci, by promoting the cause for his
beatification.There are 150,000 Catholics in the diocese of
Shanghai, some one hundred priests, six deacons, 37 parishes, and 140
churches. In its territory is one of the Marian Shrine of Sheshan, a
national pilgrimage site. The most important social institutions include
the house for the elderly, a house for spiritual retreats, a soup
kitchen, and the Typography of Qibao.In 2012 he published the first volume of his memoirs, Learning and Re-learning 1916-1982,
in which he recounts the most significant times in his life. A life in
which he sought to keep the love of Christ and the Church alive, in
loyalty to his country and culture.

PARISHIONERS are delighted after An Bord Pleanala ruled restoration work on a cathedral can go ahead.

The restoration committee of St Mel's Cathedral in Longford,
which was gutted by fire on Christmas Day 2009, learned yesterday that
the planning authority had rejected an appeal against plans for the
second phase of the €30m project.

The second phase of work was given the go-ahead by Longford County
Council last November but was appealed to An Bord Pleanala at the
beginning of December.

The renovation includes changes to the location of the sanctuary and tabernacle as well as the installation of a lift.The committee hopes to have a functioning cathedral in time for midnight Mass on Christmas Eve 2014.

Unionists voted down a motion at Stormont's Assembly which called on the power-sharing ministerial Executive to legislate.

Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK without marriage rights for gay couples.

The
issue sparked impassioned debate, with protests outside the legislature
and verbal clashes between campaigners in favour of or opposed to the
change. Amnesty International has warned of a likely legal challenge.

Sinn
Fein South Down MLA Caitriona Ruane said: "Attitudes in Ireland are
changing because people do not want to see people discriminated against.

"The gay community has said enough is enough, they are standing up for themselves and their communities."

She claimed young people were turning to suicide by because of the taunts.

"If they don't have an alternative voice to the vitriolic gay bashing they will internalise it," she said.

"There is no room for sitting on the fence on this, this is about fighting for all our children's rights."

Church
leaders had urged Assembly members to vote against the legislation,
with the Catholic church asserting marriage was between a man and a
woman.

However, Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty's Northern Ireland
programme director, said: "States may not discriminate with regards to
the right to marry and found a family, on the basis of sexual
orientation or gender identity."

Today's petition of concern at
the Assembly tabled by the largest unionist party, the Democratic
Unionists, ensured Sinn Fein's motion would be defeated after a majority
of unionists failed to back the change.

John O'Doherty, director
of the Rainbow Project health organisation for gay men and a rights
campaigner, said he would continue to press for change.

"This will
be won slowly so we appreciate every vote that we got. We are
disappointed with the outcome. It has always been a difficult march
towards equality here but we will continue to fight the good fight."

A
total of 95 members voted, 42 in favour including all nationalists.
Three unionists out of 50 voted Yes. Former Ulster Unionists Basil
McCrea and John McCallister voted Yes.

DUP Finance
Minister Sammy Wilson defended his party's veto and said colleagues
would use it again to defeat "reckless" legislation.

A defender of Catholic doctrine and Christian civilization during the
tumultuous 16th century, Pope Saint Pius V has his liturgical memorial
on April 30.
The Dominican Pope is known for implementing the reforms of the Council
of Trent, and for organizing the “Holy League” that defeated the Turkish
naval fleet at the 1571 Battle of Lepanto.
Though St. Pius V’s pontificate was not extremely lengthy, it was a
turning point in the history of the Church.

In a 2004 letter for the
fifth centenary of his predecessor’s birth, Blessed John Paul II
mentioned some of St. Pius V’s groundbreaking achievements, which have
continued to shape the liturgical and devotional life of the Christian
West:
“He strove to apply faithfully the decrees of the Council of Trent: in
the liturgical field, with the publication of the renewed (Tridentine)
Roman Missal and the new Breviary; in the area of catechetics, by
entrusting to parish priests in particular the ‘Catechism of the Council
of Trent’; and as for theology, it was he who introduced St. Thomas'
‘Summa' into the universities,” Bl. John Paul II recalled in his tribute
to St. Pius V.
“Conscious of the mission he had received from Christ the Good Shepherd,
he devoted himself to tending the flock entrusted to him, encouraging
daily recourse to prayer and making Marian devotion a priority. He
contributed significantly to spreading it by giving strong encouragement
to the practice of praying the Rosary, and he himself would recite the
whole of it every day, despite his many exacting tasks.”
Born in the Italian region of Alessandria on Jan. 17, 1504, Michael
Ghislieri belonged to a family that was living in poverty despite its
distinguished past. He was taught by members of the Dominican Order, and
chose to join them when he was only 14. After a decade of further study
and formation, he became a priest in 1528.
In keeping with the Dominican tradition, Michael combined intense prayer
and penance with intellectual rigor. He taught philosophy and theology,
helped form new recruits, and led several houses of the order. His
personal holiness and orthodoxy were acknowledged by Pope Paul IV, who
made him a bishop in 1556 and a cardinal in 1557. During the same year
he assumed leadership of the Holy Office of the Inquisition in Rome.
Against his own wishes, Michael was elected Pope in 1566. Taking the
name of Pius V, the new Pope set an example for the faithful through
acts of humility and charity. He visited the sick, washed the feet of
the poor and suffering, and adopted a stripped-down lifestyle in
accordance with his Dominican formation.
At the same time, the Pope had to address grave internal and external
threats to the Church. Protestant forces had gained state support and
were taking steps to extinguish the Catholic faith in some countries.

Meanwhile, the Turks – having conquered Constantinople just over a
century before – were advancing westward and asserting their sea power
in the Mediterranean. Turkish forces attacked Malta in 1565, and
conquered Cyprus in 1570.
While counteracting Protestantism through the Tridentine reforms, Pius
also took steps to stop the spread of militant Islam. He brought
together Spanish and Italian naval forces, together with those of the
Papal States, under the command of Don John of Austria. Though seriously
outnumbered, the “Holy League” won a dramatic and decisive battle
against the Turkish fleet at Lepanto on Oct. 7, 1571.
Aided by the prayers of the Church, and particularly by the prayer of
the Rosary, the Holy League’s victory secured Western Europe against
Islamic domination for many centuries. Pius V instituted the feast of
Our Lady of the Rosary, each year on Oct. 7, to commemorate the victory
and give thanks for the Blessed Virgin Mary’s intercessory role.
During 1572 Pope Pius V was working toward a new and broader alliance of
Western Christian powers against expansionist Islam. The Pope did not
live to carry out this plan, however, as he became ill and died on May 1
of that year.
Pope St. Pius V was canonized in 1712. Since that time, only one other Pope – St. Pius X – has been declared a saint.

The former Pontiff, Pope Emeritus Benedict, is “relieved” to be free
of the responsibility of running the Catholic Church, his elder brother
has said, but he insisted that Benedict was not suffering from illness.

Father Georg Ratzinger, himself a priest, told The Daily Telegraph
his younger brother was “very happy” to be living at Castel Gandolfo,
the papal summer retreat south of Rome that he moved to after stepping
down in February, becoming the first pope to resign in 600 years.

Fr.
Ratzinger, 88, who travelled from Germany to celebrate Benedict’s 86th
birthday on April 16, said his brother “still suffers the problems of
the Church, but is really relieved to no longer have the weight of the
Church on his shoulders”.

Speaking by telephone from his house in Bavaria, Mr Ratzinger denied
the pope emeritus was suffering from major ailments. “He is now very
old, he does not have any particular illness, but he is weakening due to
his age,” he said.Pope Benedict cited advancing age when he announced his resignation
amid reports that his hearing and sight were failing. It also emerged he
had a pacemaker fitted a decade ago.

Peter Seewald, a German journalist said he had never seen Benedict look “so worn down” after a recent meeting.

Fr. Ratzinger first warned of his brother’s advancing age before he
was elected pope in 2005 and then unnerved the Vatican with his frank
comments about Benedict’s health while he was in office.

The brothers are known to be close, speaking weekly on the telephone,
and Fr. Ratzinger said he knew of Benedict’s resignation months in
advance. His comment about Benedict continuing to “suffer” the problems
of the Church appeared to be a reference to the alleged infighting among
the Vatican’s bureaucracy, details of which emerged when Benedict’s
butler leaked his employer’s letters.

Since relinquishing the responsibility of overseeing the world’s 1.2
billion Catholics, Benedict has spent his time praying, reading and
playing the piano at Castel Gandolfo, which is situated on the rim of a
volcanic lake, surrounded by acres of private gardens and Roman ruins.

He is due to move back to the Vatican when conversion work is completed at the residence he will live in.

Last week a controversial, warts-and-all portrait of him was unveiled
in Rome. Painted by the German artist Michael Triegel and based on
sketches made during Benedict’s general audiences, the portrait shows
the German pope with hooded eyes and puffy features.

On loan to the
Vatican, it will be permanently hung in the German ambassador’s
residence.The painting received a mixed reception at an embassy event held to
mark Benedict’s birthday.

One cardinal reportedly said it made the pope
emeritus look like he had “taken the wrong pills”.Benedict is yet to see the portrait, but said his eyesight was so poor that it was unlikely to offend him.

Pope Francis has
indicated for the first time that he may make changes to the Vatican's
scandal-ridden bank as part of a broad review of the Holy See's troubled
administration.

Before Francis was elected last
month, many of the cardinals who went on to choose him expressed
concern about the harm done to the Church's image by three decades of
scandals at the bank, which Italian magistrates are now investigating
for money laundering.
A report last
year by Moneyval, a European anti-money laundering body, found that the
bank, officially the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR), had failed
to meet some of its standards on fighting financial crimes, and called
for increased oversight.
In an
impromptu sermon at a Mass for Vatican employees including staff from
the bank, the pope said they should concentrate on the true mission of
the Church and that Vatican departments were needed "only up to a
certain point".
"The Church is not
an NGO (non-governmental organization). It is a story of love," he said,
according to a transcript published by Vatican Radio.
"I
know that people from the IOR are here, so excuse me. Offices are
necessary but they are necessary only up to a certain point."
It was the first time Francis, the former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina, had mentioned the Vatican bank in public since his election.
The
account of the sermon in the Vatican's newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano,
omitted the mention, however. Italian media said this was a sign of
conflict within the Vatican on how to deal with the bank.

Vatican sources have said the pope could restructure the IOR and has the power to close it if he wants to.
Italian
media have reported that the bank, which currently answers to a
commission of cardinals and enjoys great autonomy, could be placed under
the control of another Vatican department to enable tighter control.
Famiglia
Cristiana, Italy's leading Catholic weekly, has called for the funds in
the IOR, which manages money mostly for dioceses and religious
institutions, to be administered by an independent "ethical bank"
external to the Vatican.
Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said he was not aware of any imminent changes affecting the bank.

The Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria Tawadros II will meet Pope Francis
next month in the Vatican -- the first visit by a Coptic Orthodox
leader in 40 years and the latest signs of growing ties between the new
pope and the Orthodox world.

Tawadros will visit various Vatican departments and is set to stay in
Rome for several days. His arrival is expected for May 10 or 11,
Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told AFP.Tawadros' predecessor Shenouda III met with pope Paul VI in 1973 and
the two launched a process of dialogue between their two Christian
churches."The idea is to celebrate the 40th anniversary of that historic meeting," Lombardi said.The visit will be part of a European
tour during which Tawadros will visit different Coptic parishes -- his
first foreign trip since his election in November at a time in which the
Coptic minority is faced with rising Islamism in Egypt.The meeting between Tawadros and Francis will be a further step in
greater dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox, after the patriarch of
Constantinople, Bartholomew, became the first spiritual leader of the
world's Orthodox to attend a papal inauguration of Francis in March.

Another sign of rapprochement is the fact that Tawadros last month
attended the inauguration of the new Coptic Catholic patriarch, Ibrahim
Sidrak, an unprecedented gesture.

Brazil will be the only international destination for Pope Francis in
2013.

This was stated by Father Federico Lombardi,
director of the Vatican press office, in a meeting at the headquarters
of the Foreign Press Association in Rome.

"I invite you to not expect
others to trips abroad this year," Father Lombardi said. Pope Francis will travel to Rio de Janeiro for the 28th World Youth Day, to be held July 23 to 28, with the motto "Go and make disciples of all nations" (Mt 28, 19). And
the Director of the Holy See Press Office did not rule out the
publication this year of the Pope’s first encyclical remembering that
Benedict XVI had already prepared the material on the topic of faith. Father
Lombardi went on to say that the pope emeritus, who currently resides
in Castel Gandolfo, is expected to move back to the Vatican, to the
Monastery of Mater Ecclesiae, between late April and early May. Pope
Francis, however, will continue to reside in the Casa Santa Marta,
where "he is very well settled”. Father Lombardi added: “At the moment,
he does not seem to want to change his dwelling, even if a final
decision has not been made." In recent days, Dr. Alberto Gasbarri,
who is in charge of all international papal journeys, traveled to Rio de
Janeiro to finalize details of Pope Francis’ visit: "The program will
follow the desires of the Pope," he said, recalling that the presence of
the Holy Father is confirmed for the welcome ceremony, the Way of the
Cross, the Vigil and closing Mass of World Youth Day, scheduled for
Sunday, July 28 at the Campus Fidei, in Guaratiba.

In late February, Maltese Auxiliary Bishop Charles Scicluna told Italian
journalists, "From now on, no one" -- and when he said "no one" he
meant the 117 cardinals coming to Rome for the conclave that would elect
Pope Francis -- "will be able to say they know nothing about what goes
on regarding clerical sex abuse."

Efforts begun by Cardinal Joseph
Ratzinger and continued by Pope Benedict XVI are "now a fundamental part
of the church's response to sex abuse," Scicluna said. "It will be part
of the leadership program of whoever is elected in the Sistine Chapel."

Scicluna, of course, is more than an auxiliary bishop from Malta. He
was the prosecutor handling sex abuse cases for the Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith for 10 years until he was made a bishop last
year. He, under the leadership of Ratzinger as the doctrinal
congregation's prefect, deserves credit for breaking the ecclesial
logjam and beginning to move effectively against clergy who had abused
children.

As we sort through Benedict's pontificate and his more than
three-decades-long legacy at the top of the church hierarchy, it would
be wrong to too easily dismiss what Benedict did to protect children
from clergy sex abusers. This does not mean his record is blemish-free
or that we agree entirely with the processes used by bishops and the
Curia to handle cases of abuse brought against clergy.

But there can be
no doubt that the church and her children would be in a far worse
position if Benedict had not taken control of these cases in 2002.

Chicago Cardinal Francis George acknowledged this in interviews he did
before the conclave. "Whoever is elected pope ... he obviously has to
accept the universal law of the church now, which is zero tolerance for
anyone who's ever abused a minor child."

This seems to be a milestone for the church on this issue and a time
for people who have long fought for it to be addressed to declare at
least a small victory.

Scicluna concluded his interview saying that the "sore spots" in the
church today are violations of the sixth and seventh commandments: sins
against purity and theft. "We need to go back to the Gospel," he said.
"Whoever is elected pope will have to continue Ratzinger's
'purification' work."

Which brings us to Francis and what could be the next phase in the
Catholic church's struggle with this issue. Within days of the new
pope's election, his record of handling clergy sex abuse as archbishop
of Buenos Aires was called into question.

Allen's reporting indicates that
apparently Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio handled cases of clergy sex abuse as
any reasonable, cautious church leader of his generation would. We
would suspect that he went through a learning process while acting
within the constraints of civil and canon law.

To understand what his next steps as pope should be, it is helpful to
know the circumstances under which Scicluna was being interviewed. The
former prosecutor was being asked whether U.S. Cardinal Roger Mahony
should attend and vote in the conclave.

Just weeks before, the Los
Angeles archdiocese had finally complied with a court order to release
tens of thousands of documents that clearly showed Mahony and his
lieutenants shuffling abuser priests from parish to parish, hiding their
whereabouts from law enforcement and discussing legal strategies to
keep abusers and the archdiocese safe from prosecution.

The release of
those documents was enough to cause the current archbishop of Los
Angeles, José Gomez, to restrict Mahony from official archdiocesan
duties. Mahony fought back with his personal blog, his Twitter account
and his media savvy. He used his red hat to pull rank and forced Gomez
to backpedal.

Gomez declared that Mahony was still a priest and bishop
in good standing. After hundreds of lives had been damaged and millions
of dollars spent on futile legal delaying tactics, Mahony blithely
boarded a plane for Rome, claiming a right to elect the new pope. Where
is the justice in that?

Scicluna said the question of whether Mahony should join the conclave
or not was a matter for the cardinal himself, a challenge for him to
follow his conscience.

Mahony is Exhibit A for what Francis must do in the next phase of this
crisis. It is no longer about frontline defense to protect children and
remove offenders. The next phase of the crisis is all about
accountability, the accountability of church leaders, bishops and
chancery personnel who obstruct investigations or cover up crimes.

To date, the sex abuse crisis has been massively disruptive of the
lives of priests and laypeople, but it has not made a huge difference in
the lives of bishops because they have yet to be called to account.

The
Dallas Charter that can remove a priest or deacon from active ministry
with one accusation of abuse is voluntary for bishops. Bishops in
Lincoln, Neb., and Baker, Ore., have proven that, as have the leaders of
seven Eastern rite eparchies in the United States who have never
submitted to the charter. The bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo.,
found guilty in two civil jurisdictions for failure to report suspected
child abuse, remains in office.

Zero tolerance for clergy child abusers is now the universal law of the
church. Francis' task is to lay down laws that will hold bishops liable
for their actions and inactions, too.

Bishops' accountability to the
people they serve must also become the universal law of the church.

The
Church of Scotland says monarchs should have a separate Scottish
coronation in the event of the country becoming independent.

The proposal is outlined in a major report on Scottish independence
by three Kirk councils – the Church and Society Council, the Committee
on Ecumenical Relations, and the Legal Questions Committee.If taken up by the Scottish Government, it would see the first
monarch crowned in Scotland since Charles II at Scone Palace,
Perthshire, in 1651.The Church argues that a separate coronation ceremony for an
independent Scotland would reaffirm the Church's firm commitment to the
monarchy and serve as a reminder of the obligations of the monarch to
uphold Scottish religious life and traditions, particularly his or her
role with regard to the Church of Scotland.Reverend Dr Doug Gay, co-author of the report and Principal of
Trinity College, Glasgow University, said: "The Church of Scotland is a
broad church with monarchists and republicans in its membership.
However, officially and corporately it remains firmly committed to
retaining the monarchy."The historic central view of the Church is that any monarch is King
or Queen of the Scottish people, not the nation of Scotland. They rule
only with the consent of the people."The Church would be in support of a Scottish Coronation to reflect this important role and to celebrate a unique relationship."The councils also call for the Scottish Government's draft Scottish
constitution to be published before the vote on independence in
September 2014.They argue it is critical that the country is able to debate the
appropriate constitutional arrangements for governing an independent
Scotland before people are asked to vote.The report will be put forward for discussion at the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in May.It also affirms the Kirk's desire for a draft constitution to
recognise the role of people of faith in public life, and its preference
to see an independent Scotland become a member of the Council of
Europe, acceding to the European Convention on Human Rights and its
protection of the right to religious freedom.The report makes clear that any constitutional settlement should
acknowledge the lawfulness of the Articles Declaratory, which affirm
that the Church of Scotland is a national church under the headship of
Christ.Co-author of the report and Principal of Trinity College, Glasgow
University, the Reverend Dr Doug Gay said: "I welcome this report and I
am looking forward to it being debated at the General Assembly in a few
weeks' time."It is vitally important that we are able to see any draft Scottish
constitution before the referendum on Scottish independence. I am
hopeful that whatever the outcome of the independence vote, we will
continue to build a pluralist society where the views of those of all
faiths and none can be heard fairly and without fear of prejudice."Addressing the call in the report for a continuing central role for
religion in public life, Convener of the Church of Scotland's Church and
Society Council, Sally Foster-Fulton said: "The Church believes that
the best way for all of us to flourish is to celebrate the diversity of
Scottish life and make a safe space for the expression of all faiths and
none."We want to see a society which acknowledges a role in public life
for religion as well as non-religion, one which recognises tradition,
respects diversity, and promotes unity.

The Bishop of Hereford wants to see more investment in the development of energy through nuclear power.

Addressing the House of Lords, the Right Reverend Anthony Priddis
said he hoped the target of an 85% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050
would be achieved.

He proposed the development of thorium and molten salt reactors as an alternative to uranium and coal energy sources.

"One tonne of thorium is equivalent to about 200 or more tonnes of
uranium, which is equivalent to 3.2 million tonnes of coal, which would
produce 8.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide and 900,000 cubic feet of
waste fly ash. That is a no brainer when we are starting to be green and
looking to be green," he explained.

"There is no argument about that, apart from one of cost, but it
could be turned on its head and we could say, 'Can we not afford this?
Is there a way to achieve those reductions without it?'. I do not think
that there is."

The bishop said research and development were "vital", and that the
Government should not rely on private enterprise but actively invest in
this area.

"We are heading for a massive skill shortage unless we do something
about this now and step up hugely the amount of money spent on research.
It is greatly needed," he said.

"We are having such trouble finding anybody to build our reactors at
the moment because we have trusted to private enterprise, and things of
this scale have to be joined up and have government support.

"I would like us also to have something that is far more clear,
coherent and comprehensive with a commitment from the Government to go
for that, and then others would come aboard with university and other
research money to follow."

The bishop went on to say that the national decommissioning authority
needed to be given a remit that was "fit for purpose" and would "change
the mindset so that some of what is regarded as waste can be regarded
as fuel".

Ann Widdecombe has called on Christians to put pressure on the UK
government to take action against persecution of Christians overseas –
and to stop it developing here.

Speaking at an event held in south London, the former
government minister and media personality warned that today's "small
scale persecution" of UK Christians could dramatically worsen unless
people began to "fight back".Her message calling on Christians to "be extremely vigilant" was delivered to more than 200 people at St Mary's Church, Croydon.The event was organised by Aid to the Church in Need, the Catholic charity for persecuted and other suffering Christians.The former MP, who was speaking on the 20th anniversary of her
conversion to Catholicism, said: "It's very easy to look at extreme
cases abroad, to say thank God we don't have that here and then to
overlook what we do have here, which is an increasing intolerance and
marginalisation towards, and of, Christians."Miss Widdecombe, who in 2011 was appointed ACN UK's special envoy for
religious freedom, called on the UK government to "attach strings" to
overseas aid to bring pressure to bear on countries where Christians are
oppressed.Saying that most countries where the state persecutes Christians
receive UK government assistance, she added: "It was only a few months
ago that the government said quite plainly that it would, when looking
at its aid budget, take cognisance of whether a country had a record of
persecuting or of tolerating homosexuals. Now if it can do it for those groups it can do it for Christians. And when it gives aid it can say to countries, we will withdraw that
aid or we will reduce that aid if you carry on persecuting Christians."Stressing the need to tackle state persecution, she said: "We are not
talking about odd groups of zealots who might, in contravention of
their country's law, perpetrate acts of violence against Christians or
against Christians' properties, we are talking about where a state
allows its own forces and agencies of law and order, such as its police
force, to actually practise and promote persecution of a particular
group."

She added: "The more representations that we make to the politicians,
the more likely it is that pressure will be put on government not only
to attach strings to its aid, but to raise it diplomatically."Miss Widdecombe, Conservative MP for Maidstone and the Weald from
1987 to 2010, said the best way to do this was to write an individual
letter about a specific country to your MP.Turning to the UK, she said the main causes of "persecution" against
Christians were equality legislation "and the over interpretation of it"
and the view "that refusing to offend other faiths somehow involves
surrendering our own".Stating that anti-Christian "persecution" was new in the UK and was
far worse abroad, she said: "If the small beginnings are not resisted
then they grow into something much bigger."She cited cases of discrimination of UK Christians in the workplace.One involved an employee demoted for criticising gay marriage in
private and another disciplined for wearing a small cross at work.Referring to the latter, Miss Widdecombe added: "But isn't it odd
that the person next to them can be wearing a hijab and the person a few
rows down can be wearing a turban – and so they should be wearing their
hijabs and so they should be wearing their turbans – but therefore so
should the Christians be wearing their crosses."She said: "If we all simply refuse to hide our crosses, refuse to
refrain from saying things like 'God bless you' and 'Would you like me
to pray for you?'… And if we all refuse to be cowed and bullied by that then we will be
making a major contribution to the survival of and the thriving of
Christianity in this country – which must not become a very tiny
minority pursuit practised behind closed doors. But that is what it is in some other countries; even where it's not such a tiny minority it is driven behind closed doors."Earlier, the MP praised ACN saying: "One of the reasons why I am so
glad to be supporting Aid to the Church in Need is that there really are
things that we can do [to help persecuted Christians] that over time
bear fruit."

Visiting Rio de Janeiro, the
chief organizer of papal trips confirmed Pope Francis will participate
in the key events of World Youth Day July 23-28 and he said other parts
of the papal trip are being tailor-made for the new pope.Alberto Gasbarri, the Vatican official who has worked on organizing
papal trips since the pontificate of Blessed John Paul II, said, "We had
a program fixed between October and November of last year, but a little
detail changed -- we have a new pope.""We had a tunic made to measure for one pope, and now we need to make
another. The program will be updated" to fit the ideas and style of Pope
Francis, Gasbarri said in a statement released by the Brazilian
bishops' conference April 24.After discussing the plans with Pope Francis, Gasbarri arrived in Rio
April 23 to meet with Brazilian church officials and the local World
Youth Day organizing committee as well as local, state and national
government officials to review the plans and discuss ideas.He said the main focus of the pope's July trip will be World Youth Day
in Rio; while Gasparri did not mention other stops on the papal
itinerary, Brazilian media reported that that the papal trip organizer
visited the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida April 24.

Brazilian
President Dilma Rousseff, who met the pope a few days after his
election in March, said Pope Francis intended to visit the shrine, which
is about 165 miles west of Rio.The papal trip organizer confirmed that Pope Francis would participate
in the events traditionally presided over by the pope. Those include a
July 25 evening service at which the youth officially welcome the pope;
the Way of the Cross service July 26; the nighttime vigil July 27; and
the closing Mass July 28.Gasbarri did not, however, release the exact dates or full itinerary of the pope's trip.Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, told reporters
April 25 that the Brazil event and a probable visit to Assisi were the
only trips on the pope's schedule for the rest of 2013. He said he did
not think the pope would visit Argentina in December, as some Argentine
media have reported.

Pope Francis may publish his first encyclical this year, the Vatican spokesman said.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi said he "would not exclude" the
possibility of the publication of the pope's first encyclical "within
this year," Vatican Radio reported.The spokesman told reporters April 25 that retired Pope Benedict XVI had
already "fleshed out material on the theme of faith" for an encyclical.Vatican officials had said Pope Benedict completed work in late 2012 on
what would have been his fourth encyclical -- a letter on the
theological virtue of faith. Its release was expected in the first half
of 2013, but the pope resigned Feb. 28 before its publication.It is not unusual for a pope to pick up work begun by his predecessor,
make changes and publish it in his own name. The second part of Pope
Benedict's first encyclical, "Deus Caritas Est" ("God is Love"), was a
discussion of Catholic charitable activity prepared under Blessed John
Paul II. Nine months after Pope Benedict was elected, the document was
released after the new pope reworked that section.Father Lombardi also said that Pope Benedict, who has been living at the
papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo since his retirement, would
soon be moving -- as expected -- to a renovated building in the Vatican
Gardens.The retired pope should be moving to the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery between the end of April and early May, the spokesman said.In the meantime, he said Pope Francis will continue to reside in the
Vatican guesthouse where he has been staying since the beginning of the
conclave that elected him, instead of the papal apartment in the
apostolic palace.The Domus Sanctae Marthae houses permanent residents as well as some guests who come to the Vatican for meetings.Pope Francis "likes it there very much," the spokesman said, and, at the
moment, it doesn't seem he wants to change his accommodations, even
though no "final decision" has been made.